Martin, Micheál

Tuesday, 27 March 2001

Dáil Eireann Debate
Vol. 533 No. 3

Page of 292

Adjournment Debate. - Psychological Service.

I would like to thank Deputy Stanton for raising this matter on the Adjournment and for his constructive comments. I take this opportunity to appraise the Deputy in relation to the development of chil...

Adjournment Debate. - Garda Deployment.

I thank Deputy Enright for raising this matter as it gives me an opportunity to set out for the benefit of the House the policing arrangements in the Garda division of Laois-Offally. I will deal with ...

Written Answers. - Nursing Home Subventions.

Was asked: if he will make a statement on the contents of a letter (details supplied) with regard to nursing home subventions.

Written Answers. - Tobacco Sales.

Was asked: if he will make a statement on the contents of a letter (details supplied) with regard to selling tobacco to persons under 18; and the provisions he will include in the tobacco Bill to curtail this pr...

The sale of tobacco products to underage persons will be examined in the context of the Public Health and Tobacco Bill currently being drafted. The views put forward in the letter referred to by the ...

Written Answers. - Appeal to the Supreme Court.

Was asked: if he will make a statement on the contents of a letter (details supplied) with regard to the decision by the State to appeal the Jamie Sinnott case to the Supreme Court.

The Deputy will appreciate that I am constrained in commenting specifically on the case to which he refers due to the fact that the appeal in this matter opened in the Supreme Court today. I understan...

Written Answers. - Health Services.

Was asked: if he will make a statement on the contents of a letter (details supplied) with regard to the state of the health system.

The representation to the Deputy would appear to relate to treatment received at a public hospital. If the Deputy could forward more precise details to me in this case, I will be pleased to have the m...

Written Answers. - Pension Provisions.

Was asked: if he is committed to continuing the present parity with the serving staff system for the payment of all retired nurses pensions; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

I have no intention of departing from the standard parity criteria whereby retired nurses benefit from adjustments made to the salaries applicable to the grades in which they served before their retir...

Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.

Was asked: the reason an immediate appointment has not been made for a person (details supplied) in County Carlow to have radiotherapy treatment at St. Luke's Hospital, Rathgar, Dublin; the reasons for the delay...

The provision of services in the case to which the Deputy is referring is in the first instance the responsibility of the South Eastern Health Board. I have, therefore, asked the chief executive offic...

Written Answers. - Care of the Elderly.

Was asked: his views on whether there is need for the establishment of day care services for older people in west Limerick; the reason for refusing funding for a centre in Newcastle West; the proposal he has to ...

Written Answers. - Hospital Services.

Was asked: the proposals he has to establish equity in the situation whereby patients living outside of Dublin remain as disadvantaged, when it comes to local access to medical specialists, as they were a decade...

The report of the Forum on Medical Manpower contains a number of recommendations aimed at the reform of the medical manpower system in this country, not just in terms of numbers employed but also for ...

Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.

Was asked: the number of people waiting for operations in the neurosurgery unit at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9; and the steps he will take to improve the service offered to public patients.

The number of people waiting for neurosurgery at Beaumont hospital is 498. This is a reduction of 8% on the number waiting for neurosurgery at the end of September 2000. It is my intention to pursue c...

Was asked: when a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15 will have an urgently needed back operation.

Responsibility for the provision of hospital services to residents of Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow rests with the Eastern Regional Health Authority. My Department has asked the regional chief executive...

Was asked: if he will intervene with St. Luke's Hospital, Dublin, and have a bed made available for a person (details supplied), who is at present a patient in Sligo General Hospital; and if he will make a state...

The provision of medical treatment to eligible persons in County Sligo is the statutory responsibility of the North Western Health Board. My Department has asked the chief executive officer of the boa...

Written Answers. - Health Care Allowances.

Was asked: if he will give details of the mobility allowance, domiciliary care allowance and motorised transport grant, including qualifying criteria, calculation of means test and the amount payable in each cas...

The domiciliary care allowance, mobility allowance and motorised transport grant are administered by the health boards on my behalf. The domiciliary care allowance, DCA, is paid in respect of eligible...

Written Answers. - Hospital Accommodation.

Was asked: if he will define the amount of money which is being spent under the national development plan on projects at St. Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny; the cost of each project and the completion date; if a 90 b...

Health boards have responsibility for the prioritisation and delivery of capital projects within their area under the national development plan.

Written Answers. - Nursing Home Subventions.

Was asked: the reasons subvention was refused to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who was cared for in St. Catherine's Nursing Home, Freshford, County Kilkenny, between March 1992 and July 1996; an...

Written Answers. - Orthodontic Service.

Was asked: the reasons for the delay in providing orthodontic treatment to a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny who is 12 years of age and requires an appointment urgently.

As the provision of orthodontic services to eligible persons in County Kilkenny is the statutory responsibility of the South Eastern Health Board, I have asked the chief executive officer of that boar...

Written Answers. - Accident and Emergency Services.

Was asked: his views on whether emergency medical technicians operating ambulances are part of the emergency services and thus entitled to emergency status; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The ambulance service, together with the Garda and local authority services, in particular the fire service, forms a valued and integral part of the emergency services. Government policy on the develo...

Was asked: the steps he will take to improve the service offered by the accident and emergency unit at St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8.

Services at St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8, which include accident and emergency services, are provided under an arrangement with the Eastern Regional Health Authority. My Department has asked the reg...

Written Answers. - Audiology Services.

Was asked: the proposals he has to ensure that there is an adequate number of audiologists and audiological scientists for community based work here, and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The provision of audiological services is a matter in the first instance for the Eastern Regional Health Authority – ERHA – and the health boards. The ERHA has been actively seeking to recruit suitabl...

Written Answers. - Vaccination Programme.

Was asked: if, in view of the recent disclosure that children were administered with out of date polio vaccine and that the Department, through the health boards, is commencing to re-vaccinate children administe...

The recommendation that any dose of oral polio vaccine given more than one month after its expiry date should be repeated, is based on the expert advice of the immunisation advisory committee of the R...

Written Answers. - Health Research Strategy.

Was asked: the reason there has been a delay in publishing the promised health research strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

It was originally planned to publish the health research strategy early this year but due to the very heavy workload in the Department it has not proved possible to adhere strictly to this timetable. ...

Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.

Was asked: if he will review the contents of a letter from a consultant cardiologist (details supplied) in relation to the clearing of the waiting list for echocardiograms; if he will provide the resources requi...

The Deputy will appreciate that the scheduling of hospital procedures is a matter for the relevant hospital based upon clinical priority. The number of people at present waiting for cardiology service...

Written Answers. - Hospital Services.

Was asked: his Department's policy with respect to persons who contracted the hepatitis C virus through blood products in another EU country, with regard to their entitlement here to the same services as are off...

Health services are available to all persons ordinarily resident in this country who contracted hepatitis C, regardless of the source. Depending on the person's financial circumstances, all such perso...

Written Answers. - Water Flouridation.

Was asked: if his attention has been drawn to the growing public concern about the use of chemical fluoridation in water supplies here; if he has carried out any investigations on the use of this particular chem...

The chemical used to fluoridate our water supplies is fluorosilic acid. The chemical used in Ireland conforms to an EU specification for that product. The specification includes maximum permissible le...

Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.

Was asked: if he will intervene with St. James's Hospital, Dublin 8 and have a bed made available for a person (details supplied) in County Sligo, who is at present a patient in Sligo General Hospital; and if he...

The provision of medical treatment to eligible persons in County Sligo is, in this instance, the statutory responsibility of the North Western Health Board. My Department has asked the chief executive...

Written Answers. - Cancer Screening Programme.

Was asked: the number of people who have responded to the Government's recent advertising campaign to promote breast screening by seeking an appointment for screening.

Was asked: the volume of screening under the breast screening programme which is taking place per month; and if this is sufficient to meet the demand.

Was asked: the date when a woman now seeking to be screened under the breast screening programme can expect to be given an appointment for the procedure.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 203 to 205, inclusive, together. BreastCheck, the national breast screening programme, commenced in February 2000. BreastCheck's recent advertising campaign has been v...

Written Answers. - Hospitals Building Programme.

Was asked: the outcome of the feasibility study carried out on two sites in Ballinrobe, County Mayo, by the technical services department of the Western Health Board for the provision of a convalescence and long...

The provision of health services in Ballinrobe, County Mayo, is the responsibility of the Western Health Board. The board has informed me that the assessment of the two site options in Ballinrobe for ...

Was asked: the current position on providing a new day resource centre, social housing and respite and enterprise units at a site in Belmullet, County Mayo secured by the Irish Wheelchair Association; and if he ...

The provision of health related services, including day and respite services, is a matter for the relevant health board. Accordingly, the Deputy's question has been referred to the chief executive off...

Written Answers. - Counselling Services.

Was asked: if he will make funds available to the Women's Council Network for non-directive counselling for pregnant women; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

My Department has no record of a request for funding from the organisation referred to by the Deputy. The provision of funding for pregnancy counselling services is a matter for individual health boa...

Written Answers. - Hearing Impairment Levels.

Was asked: the number of children, up to 18 years of age, who suffer from hearing impairment in the Mid-Western Health Board area.

The information requested by the Deputy is not routinely gathered by my Department. However, as the provision of services to people with physical and sensory disabilities, including hearing impairment...

Written Answers. - Hospital Waiting Lists.

Was asked: the number on the waiting list for consultant neurology treatment in the mid-west region; and the waiting time in this regard.

As the provision of medical services is, in this instance, the statutory responsibility of the Mid-Western Health Board, my Department has asked the chief executive officer of the board to supply the ...

Written Answers. - Mental Health Services.

Was asked: if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 318 of 20 March 2001, he will outline when he will make the report of the child psychiatry review group available to members of Dáil Éireann.

I would like to inform the Deputy that the report of the working group on child and adolescent psychiatric services has now been made available to all Members of the Oireachtas.

Written Answers. - Occupational Therapy Service.

Was asked: if he will report to Dáil Éireann on the unacceptable delays in providing occupational therapy from a health centre (details supplied) in Dublin 12; and the steps which will be taken to resolve this p...

The provision of primary health services, including occupational therapy, is, in the first instance, a matter for the relevant health board. I have asked the chief executive of the Eastern Regional He...

Written Answers. - Nursing Home Subventions.

Was asked: the terms of reference of the review of nursing home subvention which he has established; the membership of the review group; the consultations that are being undertaken; the expected reporting date f...

Written Answers. - Accident and Emergency Services.

Was asked: if he will investigate matters at Waterford Regional Hospital (details supplied) with regard to the situation in the accident and emergency department; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

The provision of services at Waterford Regional Hospital is a matter for the South Eastern Health Board. I have, therefore, asked the chief executive officer at the board to look into the matter and r...

Written Answers. - Health Board Property.

Was asked: the position with regard to the convent property in Louisburgh, County Mayo; the plans the health board has in this regard; and when it expects to commence work on the building.

The provision of health services in Louisburgh, County Mayo, is the responsibility of the Western Health Board. The board has informed me that purchase of the convent property in Louisburgh is depende...

Written Answers. - Hospital Services.

Was asked: when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will be called to Galway for a hip operation.

As the provision of medical services is, in this instance, the statutory responsibility of the Western Health Board, my Department has asked the chief executive officer of the board to investigate the...

Written Answers. - Nursing Qualifications.

Was asked: if he will give an updated report on the development of a degree course in nursing and, in particular, the assimilation of existing nurse tutors into the new system; and if he will make a statement on...

The report of the nursing education forum, which I launched on 24 January 2001, sets out a strategic framework for the implementation of a four year undergraduate pre-registration nursing degree progr...

Written Answers. - Hospital Services.

Was asked: if he will make a statement on the contents of a letter (details supplied) and indicate if this reflects the health service as it is seen by the 500 people who are discharged by hospitals throughout t...

Responsibility for the provision of hospital services to residents of Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow rests with the Eastern Regional Health Authority. My Department has asked the regional chief executive...

Written Answers. - Departmental Appointments.

Was asked: the number of persons appointed by him to State boards, task forces or committees since July 1997; the proportion of these who were female; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Since January 1998, my predecessor and I have appointed 534 persons to statutory bodies, of which 184 or 34% were female. The details in respect of the period July to December 1997 and non-statutory g...

Written Answers. - Nursing Home Subventions.

Was asked: if he will examine the contents of a letter from a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Written Answers. - Housing Grants.

Was asked: the criteria used by health boards or medical officers throughout the country when determining the qualifying conditions under the disabled persons grant scheme.

Was asked: the level of need in relation to the disabled persons grant scheme which denotes high and low priority cases as determined by the medical officer representing the health board.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 221 and 222 together. The provision of housing modification grants for people with physical disabilities is a matter for the Department of the Environment and Local Go...

Written Answers. - Medical Cards.

Was asked: the circumstances in which full-time third level students who have some earnings from part-time work can qualify for medical cards; if these conditions are applied uniformly across each health board a...

Entitlement to health services in Ireland is primarily based on means. Under the Health Act, 1970, determination of eligibility for medical cards is the responsibility of the chief executive officer o...